Who should attend:All lawyers practicing in the area of family law; the course may also be of interest to other stakeholders in the justice system, including the judiciary, family justice counselors, policy makers, mediators, parenting coordinators, collaborative law specialists, supervised access facilitators, and anyone interested in how the justice system can improve its support of children.

Learning level: All levels

In collaboration with the International Institute For Child Rights & DevelopmentLegislation, case law, and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child support hearing from children in family justice processes, particularly where a child’s best interests are being determined. Research shows that children of all ages are profoundly impacted by family breakdown and there are ways people within the justice system can improve their practice to support children through this difficult time. The need to find better ways of supporting child participation has been raised in A New Justice System for Families & Children: Report of the Family Justice Reform Working Group to the Justice Review Task Force (BC), released in 2005, and is the subject of the current review of the BC Family Relations Act. This course will provide lawyers and other key family justice stakeholders an opportunity to learn more about options to effectively support and implement child participation in one’s daily practice.

Members of the BC Hear the Child Society will receive a $50 discount when they register for both days. Please contact Customer Service for assistance.

Registration includes course materials and lunch on Day 2. Note: You will continue to receive a print copy of the materials at the course. In addition, you will receive an email with a link to the online version of the materials approximately one day before the course.